Wow... Is this Common?

[emmaboo]

Well this is more of a venting thread but I would love to hear if this sport really is this dramatic... I posted some time ago about purchasing equipment from my LDS as opposed to online. The price difference was incredible, I paid a quarter what he was asking for the equipment. So I took the plunge and bought a BC, regs and dive comp online. I haven't even used them but it has taken me about 2 months to tell the owner of the LDS that I have this equipment... Keep in mind I have been certified with this gentlemen, rented gear for the dives at the lake, bought way overpriced fins, mask, boots, gloves and a few other small gadgets. I finally decided that I needed to have a chat with him about the equipment to ensure it would be ok when yearly servicing would be required etc. The meeting was ANYTHING but pleasant... He at first completely refused to deal with any equipment not bought at his store and that his customers come first. I was upset to say the least. He did not acknowledge me as a customer and honestly made me feel like S*** for not purchasing a few pieces of equipment from him. He told me to go to the person I bought it from and get them to deal with it (if it's a manufactor repair I agree) but if it was just for servicing?? I was very upset about the way he reacted and if he didn't "change his mind" on the matter I would have walked out and never turned back. The problem is that I don't have an option to go to another LDS as I have the equipment and to take it back is no longer possible. He is the only LDS in the city to guarantee the warranty of the equipment with his signature on a yearly basis...

I'm just curious if this is a common occurance? Although I understand that these LDS depend on their students to purchase equipment from them they are not a charity. I found a deal elsewhere (significantly less!) and I jumped on it. This experience really sours my outlook on the sport.... It's unfortunate because it's rubbed off on my spouse and he now refuses to get certified until we can find a different LDS where he feels comfortable.
I suppose any future purchases are expected to be done at the shop... or I think I may have to find a new LDS

 

[jridg]

I'm not sure where you are located - but I have never had this issue in 20 years of diving. I have even gone to my LDS a couple of times and told them the deal I could get online - once they matched it - and the other time told me to get it online. my LDS has always been happy to service any gear - it's money for them and good service is generally rewarded with customer loyalty.

If this guy wants to be a jerk - then don't deal with him. If you have no choice, well that's a little more difficult. From your description he knows he's the only game in town, but that holds a lot less weight in the age of the 'net.......

You can always send it to the manufacturer or a 'nicer' dive shop for annual service. It is less convenient - but works just the same. I recently had to send a reg to a dive shop 100 miles away because none of the LDSs (we have several) were certified on the reg......

 

[covediver]

Lots of threads on this board cover this LDS versus on-line retailer, so I won't rehash that debage.

I guess the justification of the reaction would depend on a couple of different things.

Was the on-line store that you bought the equipment from an authorized dealer for the equipment you bought?

If they were, does the company require any authorized dealer to do the yearly maintenance?

If so, is the yearly maintenance something the shop charges for or is it free as part of the warranty?

If he can charge you for annual maintenance, I don't see what the issue is. If he has to do it for free, I can see why he would be a little upset. After all, he did not profit from the sale but will have to bear the cost of the free annual servicing. The items that you mention are high value (that is, good profit margin items) and in this economy no one wants to lose the sale and be burdened with service costs that they may be required to bear.

It does seem that you want the best of both worlds, low on line prices and the convenience of a LDS. We all do, and while the two are not mutally exclusive, they might as well be in the minds of many an LDS owner.

Just out of curiousity, what arrangement for annual inspection and servicing does the on-line retailer make for the equipment that you purchased? I assume that shipping cost would be involved and be borne by you if the LDS will not service your equipment. Given the amount you saved, using the service of the on-line retailer may be the best way to go. Of course, that does little to solve the problem of getting your spouse certified.

 

[NudeDiver]

I have to assume that a dive shop warranty and serving situation is the same as an auto dealer. With an auto dealer, they don't eat the cost of anything. If you come in for warranty work, or some kind of free service that is required by the manufacturer, you get it for free from the dealer, but the dealer gets paid by the manufacturer. I'd be shocked if the situation is any different with dive gear (although I will admit, I really don't know).

I do know this though - if I got such a treatment from any local business, it would be a guarantee that I would NEVER buy anything from them again, even if it meant paying more. I would also be sure to all I could to discourage anyone else from doing business with such an operation.

 

[emmaboo]

Thanks Jridg and covediver for your replies

I should have added a couple details before I posted. The online store was LP and they are not an authorized dealer for this brand therefore they have their own warranty which matches what the manufactors should have. For this warranty to stay in effect, you still require yearly servicing signed off by a certified dealer. This is what I assumed, I will call them tomorrow to double check this as I'm not sure it's even stated anywhere.
I had also told him I was aware that there would be charges for servicing and whatnot but that did not help the situation.
He includes all servicing required on any peice of equipment bought from the shop at no additional charge.
I haven't thought about shipping it back to LP for servicing, that might be something to check into.

In the LDS defence I can understand why he'd feel burned by my decision because I did ask him for product information, differences etc. and I did not give him a chance to match. For this I do feel guilty but I did not ask because I knew he wouldn't be able to match it. Deep down I was expecting a reaction like this from him knowing his personality but I've been holding it off for such a long time that it came as a shock when I finally experienced it :-/... It just feels like this is unecessary drama and I was dissapointed in his reaction even though I expected it. I have a good relationship with the instructors and thats the reason why I didn't walk out the moment he made me upset. We came to an agreement at the end but to get there was painful...

 

[NudeDiver]

Just to share - maybe give you more perspective.

I certified with a local shop - and WAY overpaid for all of my gear (relative to online). Mask, fins, snorkel, BC, regulator set, knife, etc. Everything except my computer. I spent a LOT of money in that shop (over $3K).

Later, I went back - looking to buy a second BC. It's a brand they carry, but they didn't have that model in stock in. I asked if they could get one, in a particular size, so I could see if I liked it and/or if it fit, before I was committing to buy it. The answer, from the owner, was basically, "nope - if you want us to order, you have to pay in full, and it's not refundable." OK - so, fine. I went to a different shop. The owner was more than happy to order one, no deposit, no commitment. So, he ordered it. I tried it, I bought it.

Guess which shop gets my business now?

 

[Diver0001]

He told me to go to the person I bought it from and get them to deal with it (if it's a manufactor repair I agree) but if it was just for servicing??

Take his advice. Businessmen with this attitude deserve what they get. Walk away and take your buisness elsewhere. I can understand a policy that stuff bought in the store gets higher priority for servicing (you obviously want to reward "loyal" clients) but giving you a big guilt trip is completely unacceptable.

Unfortunately this is fairly common. The LDS's can't compete with online shops because the dealer format is killing them. Unfortunatlely the LDS is the expendible pawn in the manufacturer's little game. It still doesn't make what happened to you at the LDS acceptable but I can understand the frustration to some extent.

R..

 

[Sas]

Well this is more of a venting thread but I would love to hear if this sport really is this dramatic... I posted some time ago about purchasing equipment from my LDS as opposed to online. The price difference was incredible, I paid a quarter what he was asking for the equipment. So I took the plunge and bought a BC, regs and dive comp online. I haven't even used them but it has taken me about 2 months to tell the owner of the LDS that I have this equipment... Keep in mind I have been certified with this gentlemen, rented gear for the dives at the lake, bought way overpriced fins, mask, boots, gloves and a few other small gadgets. I finally decided that I needed to have a chat with him about the equipment to ensure it would be ok when yearly servicing would be required etc. The meeting was ANYTHING but pleasant... He at first completely refused to deal with any equipment not bought at his store and that his customers come first. I was upset to say the least. He did not acknowledge me as a customer and honestly made me feel like S*** for not purchasing a few pieces of equipment from him. He told me to go to the person I bought it from and get them to deal with it (if it's a manufactor repair I agree) but if it was just for servicing?? I was very upset about the way he reacted and if he didn't "change his mind" on the matter I would have walked out and never turned back. The problem is that I don't have an option to go to another LDS as I have the equipment and to take it back is no longer possible. He is the only LDS in the city to guarantee the warranty of the equipment with his signature on a yearly basis...

I'm just curious if this is a common occurance? Although I understand that these LDS depend on their students to purchase equipment from them they are not a charity. I found a deal elsewhere (significantly less!) and I jumped on it. This experience really sours my outlook on the sport.... It's unfortunate because it's rubbed off on my spouse and he now refuses to get certified until we can find a different LDS where he feels comfortable.
I suppose any future purchases are expected to be done at the shop... or I think I may have to find a new LDS

It is a common occurrence in mine and my local diving buddies' experience. Don't worry though, there are nice LDSs out there that will be more than happy to provide you with good and competitive services, gear and training. Just not this one.

LDSs do depend on gear sales as they do not make much from instruction generally. However this does not mean you have to subsidies the uncompetitive nature of many LDSs. If they can't make a profit customers shouldn't have to bail them out at grossly inflated prices. Tough luck if they go broke, they should have run their business better.

Not sure what you can do about servicing. Perhaps contact the manufacturer direct and see what they have to say when you tell them the only local shop that can keep your warranty will not service your gear. They may not be pleased as it looks bad on them if their retailers are being PITAs. Anyway, my 2c, they might not care but that is what I would do. Good luck!

 

[RJP]

Wow... Is this Common?

Yes, it's quite common for new divers to go into a LDS, pick their brains, gain the benefit of their expertise, take up their valuable time, ultimately buy all their gear elsewhere, and then be shocked when then go back to the LDS with that gear and expect the same level of service that they would receive if they had bought the gear from the LDS. Seems to happen all the time.

 

[Sas]

Yes, it's quite common for new divers to go into a LDS, pick their brains, gain the benefit of their expertise, take up their valuable time, ultimately buy all their gear elsewhere, and then be shocked when then go back to the LDS with that gear and expect the same level of service that they would receive if they had bought the gear from the LDS. Seems to happen all the time.

The OP said she paid one quarter of the price the LDS was charging. Their advice must be amazing to be worth that much extra money.